Formosa Chemical adds UV disinfection at Taiwan plants

Taiwan – Formosa Chemical and Fibre Corp. is employing UV technology from Hanovia to disinfect cooling water in two of its factories in Taiwan. The UV systems are being used to reduce microbial contamination of cooling water used in the nylon manufacturing process.

The cooling water comes into direct contact with the nylon fibre product so the quality of the water is essential, according to Ying Xu, Hanovia’s Asia-Pacific manager.

Since the installation of the UV systems installation, Hanovia reports that the water quality has been consistently high, with UV transmittance up from 95% to 98%.

“While UV itself does not reduce suspended solids in water, it reduces other impurities, so UV transmittance has improved,” said Xu. “For applications such as this, a transmittance value of 98% is essential, and UV is playing an important role in maintaining this,” she added.

The UV units are located immediately after the heat exchange units and before the cooling tanks. This ensures all water leaving the heat exchanger is disinfected and cannot contaminate the rest of the cooling water loop.

Each UV system can treat up to 50m3/hour and each is fitted with an automatic wiper which keeps the quartz sleeves surrounding the UV lamps clean.

There are currently four Hanovia UV systems in use, three in the Zhanghua factory and one in the Xingang facility, with two more systems planned for installation in Xingang.